Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the amendments. As I said when I was talking about affordable cost rental, the two benefits it will bring to renters are security of tenure and affordability. In order for that to be delivered to every renter in an affordable cost rental, it has to be uniform and standardised and there cannot be local vagaries and variations. This is all about trying to improve the security of people's tenure in their own home. It is a brand new scheme and a new way of providing homes in our country. Those two elements, namely, security of tenure and affordability, being standardised throughout the system on a uniformed basis, is critical. It builds on the work the Government has done in improving and enhancing protections for renters, the continuation of the RPZs and the capping of rent increases at inflation, which has been welcomed by renters. It gives them certainty and should certainly improve affordability. I urge the Minister, when the Bill and the regulations have passed, to have his Department conduct a wider information campaign. There is an awful lot of interest but, as Senator Cummins said, there are questions. It would be beneficial, therefore, if the Department were to undertake an information campaign.